Wilderness Heroes

A Wilderness Hero from Coast to Coast: Remembering Jon Soest, 1938-2008

Guardians of Gold Butte: Roy and Betsy Miller

December 2008

Although they don’t have much interest in being the center of attention, Betsy and Roy Miller have garnered a lot of notice for the work they have done to protect one of Southern Nevada’s most treasured wild places — Gold Butte. Located between the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, Arizona, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, just south of the City of Mesquite, Gold Butte is named for an early 1900s settlement that was little more than a tent city of a thousand miners.

An Unyielding Voice for Wildlife and Wild Places: Remembering Tony Dean, 1940 – 2008

November 2008

The conservation and wildlife community lost one of its strongest advocates and most outspoken supporters with the recent passing of Tony Dean. Dean was an easy-going, even-tempered sportsman from South Dakota who stood up for and spoke out on issues in which he believed. And one thing he believed very strongly was that conservation was fundamental to good hunting and fishing.

Randy Eubanks, a Champion for Colorado's Wilderness

October 2008

Reading Randy Eubanks’ bio, you might not immediately think he’s a dedicated supporter of community open space, smart growth, and responsible mining. But this former submarine sailor and nuclear industry professional, now a Commissioner in Larimer County Colorado, works for many good causes, including protecting wilderness in Rocky Mountain National Park.

John Seiberling: Congressional Champion for Wilderness

September 2008

John F. Seiberling often explained that in preserving land, we preserve something of ourselves. One generation sends an enduring message to its successors about what it holds dear.

These are the words of an editorial eulogy published in his hometown newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, after Congressman Seiberling’s death, at 89, in early August.

Dick Slagle, Working for the Kettle Range

Clif Merritt: a Founder of Our Modern Wilderness Movement

July 2008

This is a perfectly characteristic picture of Clif Merritt, out in the field (here, in Montana) working to help prepare a citizen proposal for protection of a wilderness area.

Brian Ellsworth: Building a Better Future for Idaho

June 2008
Brian Ellsworth

Katya Spiecker: Blazing a New Trail for the Badlands

May 2008

When Katya Spiecker walked into the offices of the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) earlier this year, she probably didn't imagine that in a few short months she would take a leading role in the effort to protect Central Oregon's Badlands as wilderness. The Badlands, located just 15 miles east of Bend, is a 30,000-acre area containing fascinating lava flows and ancient junipers. This area was named for its harsh terrain and fantastic rock formations.

Jonathan Hanson - Living the Dream, Working for the Land

April 2008

When you think about living the dream, you think about Jonathan Hanson. The native of rural Tucson who with his wife Roseann now lives southwest of Tucson, is building their home from sustainable materials and is a writer who edits and co-owns an eco-adventure magazine. He sea kayaks in the Sea of Cortez, leads African safaris, and is a vocal advocate for open space protection and preserving our wild public lands as Wilderness.